Gravel trails of the coast and Cairngorms — The Central Belter

The first stage of the Central Belter is a coastal one, leaving the beautiful Portobello beach and promenade in Edinburgh city and tracing the shoreline south to North Berwick. You’ll cover 36.2 miles (58.3 km) here, with a couple of easy climbs to get you warmed up!



Leave the bustle and character of… read more

The second stage of 41.3 miles (66.5 km) will take you from the lively coastal town of North Berwick south to the town of Lauder in the Scottish Borders. There’s a little more climbing than descending in the stage over the Lammermuir Hills, which should set you up for some of the hillier stages ahead… read more

From Lauder to the outdoor lover’s town of Innerleithen, the third stage covers 40.5 miles (65.2 km). The day mostly follows the way of the Capital Trail, another bikepacking route by the same rider, Markus Stitz.



The day starts almost immediately off-road, climbing gently out of Lauder heading South… read more

With most of the climbing at the start of the stage, this 26.3 mile (42.4 km) leg of the Central Belter is shorter ride through pretty Peebles to the edge of the Pentland Hills.



After leaving Innerleithen, the road gives way to unpaved doubletrack on the Southern Upland Way at Glen House Castle, and after… read more

From the Pentland Hills to the Firth of Forth, this 30.5 mile (49.1 km) stage takes you back past Edinburgh as you complete the first, southern loop of the Central Belter.



Start your day by taking the Carlops-Balerno MTB trail across the Pentland Hills. You’re already quite high up so there’s little climbing… read more

From Bo’ness on the Firth of Forth to Falkirk on the Forth and Clyde Canal isn’t far, but there again today’s 41 mile (74.1 km) route is anything but direct! To link the two you’ll meander through the Kinneil Estate, back toward Blackness, then down through Beecraigs Country Park, Muiravonside Country… read more

Stage 7 is a funny one, looping three times to finish almost back where you started! Despite this, you’ll ride 32 miles (51.4 km), past the Kelpies and the Canal Basin, through Plean Country Park, and then finishing back on the Forth and Clyde Canal near Bonnybridge.



It’s a gentle start to the day as… read more

This longer stage of 51.7 miles (83.2 km) will take you from the village of Bonnybridge into the heart of Glasgow city, then to the north to finish in Strathblane on the edge of the Campsie Fells.



It would be simple to link Falkirk to Glasgow using the canals, but here you take a different track, running… read more

The ninth stage consists of 45.7 miles (73.6 km) across Stirlingshire from Strathblane to Dunblane, via Stirling city. It’s one of the hillier stages with three major climbs, but the views from some of these high vantage points will make you fall in love with this often overlooked county.



Ease into the… read more

A shorter stage of 27.5 miles (44.3 km) takes you to the halfway point in the Central Belter, at least in terms of the number of stages completed. There’s only one major climb today up through Glen Ample, and it’s a really spectacular one.



After a few days of pretty urban riding, you’re now heading north… read more

Start the second half of your Central Belter challenge with a 40.8 mile (65.7 km) stage from the shores of Lochearnhead to the beautiful Loch Lyon, a wonderful place to spend a night in the valley of Glen Lyon.



You’ll follow in the tyre marks of many intrepid bikepacking racers and tourers that have… read more

A much shorter second stage of 26.3 miles (42.4 km), the way from Loch Lyon to Kinloch Rannoch is another belter (forgive the pun)! Most of the stage tends gently downhill, before one big, steep climb from the Bridge of Balgie to reach Loch Rannoch. This really is the heart of the Grampian Mountains… read more

After the shorter stage previously, you’ll be back up to covering 40.6 miles (65.3 km) on this third stage to Kingussie.



Start the day with a big climb after leaving the adventurer’s village of Kinloch Rannoch, up and into Glen Garry on wide gravel doubletrack roads. As you approach Loch Garry you can… read more

You’ll fall head over heels for the Cairngorms with today’s 29.6 mile (47.6 km) stage in the heart of the National Park, taking in many of the iconic landmarks featured in the Cairngorms Loop.



The first half of the stage is characterised by a very long but gradual climb, but as you know, what goes up… read more

This fifth stage is the longest of them all at 46.6 miles (75 km), so you’ll be glad of an early start and resupply from the town of Braemar today.



You’ll head east to start in this stage, then south toward the coastline which forms the second half of the Central Belter. With one exception, the stage… read more

From the edge of the Cairngorms National Park in little Tarfside, this stage takes you over 39.7 miles (63.9 km) to the North Sea, finishing on the cliffs by Red Castle.



With five stages already in the legs, you may be pleased to hear that this stage features more descending than climbing! In fact, the… read more

Stage 7 is the first full stage of coastal riding, hugging the Angus coastline for 45 miles (72.5 km) to Leuchars in Fife. You’ll cross the Firth of Tay from Dundee to Newport-on-Tay as you enjoy another flatter day.



Bid goodbye to the beautiful Lunan Bay as you start to head south along lanes past Ethie… read more

On your journey along the coastline towards Edinburgh, this 30.6 mile (49.3 km) stage will take you through the golfer’s mecca of St Andrews, past limestone coastal caves and past the ruins of Newark Castle.



From Leuchars pass the Eden Estuary local nature reserve and take the beautiful road to St Andrews… read more

In this penultimate stage, you’ll leave the coastline to head inland to Loch Leven in Kinross, riding a total of 35.3 miles (56.8 km). After a more gentle few days along the seaside, you’ll turn back into the hills today.



Start by following the coastline to Dumbarnie Links Nature Reserve to the west… read more

There are plenty of sights on your way into Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh on the final stage, with 42 miles (67.6 km) leading you to the Portobello Promenade. The first half of the ride is quite hilly, but then after dropping down to near sea-level it’s much more gentle.



Head south to start, through… read more